Our Sea Shirts Series start this Amihan season as a minimalist collection – clean, fresh, light and easy in the sea. Almost nothing new, just a revival of the classic basic logo shirt. But this season, we introduce the basic “endless logo” (last shirt in the middle row). Call it an endless summer or endless possibility, or a blackhole into the sea, whatever. Arriving at the shore always has a meaning, the reason we have made this logo.

The three last shirts are this season’s statement shirts, which pay homage to skimboarding, seaward travels, and yearning to do so.

For most of us, we associate surfing with a thing shaped from foam, covered in glass fiber and resin, which we call a surfboard. It is not the case in some remote areas. Whether they are influenced by visiting surfers or just an innocent act of engaging oneself to the joy of riding waves, kids in different ages and sizes find whatever piece of material, which planes on the water and gives them the purest joy of wave riding. From broken cabinet doors, plywood, planks and old boat hulls, it does not matter, as long as they are having fun gliding and harnessing the energy of the ocean.

According to study, white water created by breaking waves produces positive ions. These ions enter our bodies and induce endorphins, which result to euphoric state when we are out in the water. This kind of bodily high is like blue electric current running through our veins and then… stoke happens. — c. badfish

Why not?! padagata, in collaboration with cjv skimboards, will release a limited edition skimboards next year. This is our way of encouraging local skimboarders to embrace wooden skimboards. This is our move to support and promote local skimboard makers. Otherwise… la lang, feel lang namo, because skimboards. LOL!

I would like to restate my deleted comment in a post that I was tagged in:

Ky? Ngano man?

My comment was an innocent courtesy that got me here with my curiosity. So here I am with my two cents.

The man of the hour is Sonny Boy “Bayogyog” Aporbo. It could be anybody, really, because this issue is not something new. Everybody knows he is the rockstar of Philippine Skimboarding for years and years. But why does he always have to ask organisers if he could compete or not lately? I know, right? Isn’t that utter discrimination just because he is damn good at what he does?

The ultimate first excuse is, he already competed overseas and won there. If you ask me, it does not count. Why? Because, no offence, those competitions he won were not on a professional level. He did not beat any pro skimboarder, or say the least, qualify for the final heat. Had he competed and won over the likes of Blair, Austin or Bill, he’d be scratched by default. I would encourage mass protest or competition boycott for that matter. LOL.

Bayogyog is gifted with versatile and consistent skills. I have seen this kid rise to stardom. Yes, it comes with a certain degree of arrogance, but he always has humility at bay. I personally attest to that. And if I sound partial… does anybody care? I don’t think so. #suckit

Second excuse, “give chance to others.” Lame. The competition itself gives others a chance. Does that make sense? Is there a particular rule that excludes nth-time champions? If Yogi’s skills intimidate others, then they have no business competing. It is either they have to up their game to beat him, or stand on the shore and watch him win again. And “give chance to others” sounds like, “Watch out !!! This competition is rigged.”

Funny that, I do not know any sports that preclude athletes from competing just because they are good and keep winning. #onlyinphilippineskimboarding

This is not my concern, really. Again, I just indulge my curiosity on why my empty comment is deleted in a post that I am tagged in. It does not make sense, and I think it is rude because I am tagged in the first place. #onlinemanners

Is it because I might possibly stir the issue or certain people? Ah… so I have been told. *yawn* There you go, I stir it clear.

It was just a banner, really, then someone started something which turned out to be pretty cool. From the major spots in Luzon, across the islands of Visayas and all the way to Sarangani in Mindanao, we were there with the locals. Oh, we were even there with the locals of Singapore. (Uhuh, guess which picture). padagata had always been pro-locals.

A banner, couple of shirts and bunch of stickers were not much of a tangible support, but as one local put it, “that banner means the world to us.” It was an honour to have a mutual relationship with the local skimboarding communities throughout the country. Good times.

It was the golden age of Philippine local skimboarding, not because of padagata, but because the locals made skimboarding a real camaraderie sport. Sure there were differences, but everybody did their best for skimboarding.

If those years projected the high tide of the local skimboarding scene, we saw its low tide too. We watched it literally from afar as most skimboarders moved on with the realities of life. Someone had to be a parent. Someone needed to get a job. Someone had a broken heart. Some died. Some went to prison. Some went overseas. Yolanda destroyed Tanauan. Some left skimboarding for surfing or whatever latest extreme sport at hand. But all was well, except there were barely anyone left to usher the new generation of some local communities we knew of, like Bacuag.

There were still local teams which pushed through. New spots found, even new groups. Yey to them!

Fast forward to now… just hang on there because we might just pop up on the nearest shoreline.

We are proud to introduce our first skimboarding ambassador: Jaygo G. Missiona

After so many days of getting to know this fella, who by the way, does not have any idea about padagata, we offer him the chance of a lifetime. Of course, we forgive him. padagata has been out of sight for too long, but all ends well for him and us.

Why now?

Because we always love supporting local skimboarding, and this time, our focus is the locals among locals. The grassroots. These are the riders who want to be in the bigger scene, event or competition, but short of means. And because we want to create more local competitions in home beaches, so to encourage and to sustain skimboarding as a board sport or beach sport that should be acknowledged beyond a hobby or a springboard to surfing. Yeah, take our words against us because it is true in so many ways.

Why him?

We think Jaygo is the next big thing. Many vouch for him. We trust their judgment. We trust Jaygo. He has a great skill set, no doubt, but it is his attitude, passion, persistence and sunny disposition which seal the deal.

And yeah.. we are in the business of spreading magic and making dreams come true through cosmic love. #nothigh